


Fate Leads the Willing

by Hades1988



Category: The 100 (TV)
Genre: AU, Books, F/F, Fate, Lexa is a teacher, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-27
Updated: 2018-11-27
Packaged: 2019-09-01 04:46:53
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,773
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16758217
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Hades1988/pseuds/Hades1988
Summary: . "If… if this were a bar, I'll ask you if I could buy you a drink- she planted both feet firmly on the floor pushing her glasses up- but since we are here. Can I buy you a book?"





	Fate Leads the Willing

She could have sworn her heart stopped half crouching in the new releases section of the bookstore. The already quiet place was engulfed with absolute silence. Her heart beat once more and she willed her lungs to take air in again as her eyes followed the young blonde who walked towards the used books section at the back of the store. The woman’s blonde hair was half covered with a beanie, the blue jacket she wore looked worn but well taken care of. Lexa only got a glimpse of the woman’s face, it was strong yet delicate. A patron bumped into her shoulder breaking the spell that had fallen on her.  
“Sorry,” said the teenager trying to reach a book from the top row.  
“No problem” responded Lexa pushing her glasses up. A tingling sensation crossed her body from head to toes, she turned her head towards the back of the store. Walking towards the blonde woman, she passed the YA novels, then the self-help section, then economy and administration, hiding in the cooking books aisle. “Coward,” she told herself, her head resting on the edge of the shelf. She took a few deep breaths lifting her head trying to find anything that could give her the confidence to approach the blonde. She frowned at the almost maniac smile of the man on the cover of a book that promised a hundred recipes for the perfect steak, her eyes wandered for a bit when an idea struck her.

**  
Clarke still could not get used to the constantly overcast city of Polis. The damp was thankfully kept at bay by her jacket. She took a discrete inhale of the bookstore that had captured her attention on her commute from work and that after a month she was finally visiting. The front of the store had new books, but it was the small sign on the door that had made up her mind: Used books.  
She scanned the place finding her destination at the back she walked purposefully towards the shelves. As she moved the smell of new ink and paper changed to a musty comforting one, she thanked her luck when she noticed that the books were organized by author. Going from the mastery of Ray Bradbury to the wild adventures written by Jack London. “No wait” she whispered to herself when she noticed she bypassed the letter H.  
“Hi,” said a voice from behind her.  
“Hi,” she said engrossed in her search for H.G. Wells.  
°  
Lexa felt dumb, what kind of greeting was “Hi”. She tried to calm herself, feeling the blood rushing to her face, probably she was sporting an embarrassing blush.  
"Uhm". This was the smartest thing that came out of her mouth. "If… if this were a bar, I'll ask you if I could buy you a drink- she planted both feet firmly on the floor pushing her glasses up- but since we are here. Can I buy you a book?" that got the blonde's attention, she was dumbstruck by the woman’s blue eyes, "And maybe a coffee so we can read the first chapter". That got her the most beautiful smile she had ever seen.  
“Okay…”  
“Unless… you’re not gay”  
“I’m not” Lexa felt her hope disappear “I’m bi”  
“Excellent!” The brunette smiled like an idiot. That got her another one from the blonde.  
“Is there a price limit?”  
“Twenty dollars?” she said feeling the heat of her blush still on her face.  
“I’ll browse around,” said the blonde with a smile. “Any recommendations?”  
°  
Clarke was charmed by the constant smile on the brunette’s face, her green eyes sparkled with life and curiosity, the woman’s voice was perfect even with the nervousness that coated her words.  
“Dune,” said the brunette from her left looking for the book in the used section they still occupied. She found the book and offered to her. “Or maybe…” Clarke could only marvel at the lithe figure of the brunette reaching up to the shelf. “Foundation -she took the book being offered- although, you look like the kind of person who likes to laugh.” Clarke’s heart skipped a beat. “Your smile is beautiful” Now it was her turn to blush.  
She followed the brunette to the science fiction aisle “Here- said the brunette- The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy”  
°  
Lexa’s heartbeat was out of control, she had never done this before. Usually, she was the one being approached. The fresh smell of the blonde’s perfume mixed with the smell of the books clouded her mind.  
“If you want, we can take all of them” she heard herself say forgoing her twenty dollars limit for any purchase in the bookstore.  
“As much as I’d love to take them all, I wouldn’t want to take advantage of your generosity.” Said the blonde “I’m Clarke.”  
“Like Arthur C. Clarke?” Lexa watched the extended hand for a second longer than expected before her mind caught up with the protocol. She extended her hand “Lexa… Woods”.  
“Nice meeting you Lexa, and yes like Arthur C. Clarke”  
“My pleasure Clarke”  
°  
“Oh, no,” Clarke thought, she was melting inside from the way Lexa said her name.  
“So… which one will be?” asked the brunette with the cutest blush that lingered on her neck.  
“This one,” she said lifting the Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy. “And you?” Lexa moved quickly to the New Releases section and picked up a copy of The Elements of Eloquence. “You are a writer?”  
“I’m actually a teacher,” Lexa said, Clarke could see the blush creeping back up to the teacher’s face “But I write on my free time”.  
“Really?” Now Clarke was intrigued. “What do you write about?”  
“Stuff. Hey, what do you say about coffee?”  
“That’ll be great.”  
°  
Lexa walked next to Clarke to the cashers not believing that twenty minutes ago she was hiding next to “A hundred recipes for a perfect steak”. They stood in the line of customers waiting for their turn to pay. Near the cash register was a large selection of small toys, novelties, and bookmarkers.  
“So, what do you do?” Asked Lexa looking for a bookmark that would go well with Clarke’s new book.  
“I’m an illustrator at Fleimen magazine.”  
“Wow! An artist” Lexa couldn’t contain her excitement at meeting someone who made a living making art.  
“I’m just starting.” Said Clarke.  
“You must be good to work for that magazine”  
“Do you read fashion magazines?”  
“Uhm, no. But one of my colleagues does and she always has one with her whenever I see her”  
°  
It took her a moment to realize they had stopped talking an where gazing at each other. Clarke noticed that Lexa’s eyes had little gold flecks.  
“Next,” said the cashier. Clarke handed her book to the brunette. “did you found what you were looking for?” he asked in a monotone voice.  
“Actually no.” Said Clarke “I’m looking for The First Men in the Moon”  
“We do have it,” he said scanning the books and something else Lexa passed him.  
“The first edition”  
“That is a rare book” he responded before turning to Lexa “Cash or card?”  
***  
If she thought Clarke’s smile was amazing, nothing prepared her for her laugh. The honest kind that rocks the body and makes you choke on your coffee. Lexa patted the blonde’s back hoping it helped.  
“Oh, god,” said the blonde with tears running down her face. She tried to control herself but then she remembered what she had just read and started laughing again. “I can’t keep drinking anything until I finish this book, or I’ll die”  
Lexa could not help her own mirth. “I’m happy that you are enjoying the book.”  
“And how’s yours?” asked Clarke, wiping her eyes with a napkin.  
“It’s funny but this dude makes too many references to Shakespeare.”  
“And?”  
“I haven’t read anything from him”. She admitted embarrassed.  
“What do you teach again?”  
“Physics”  
“Oh, that somewhat explains it,” said Clarke without judgment. “But It’s not too late for you”  
“Hey!”  
Lexa made a mental note to get Shakespeare’s works from the School’s library. She was halfway through her book when her phone began to ring.  
°  
Clarke never felt so comfortable with another person like she did with this stranger. They had picked a café next to the bookstore that had reading chairs arranged like small living rooms. She liked how the Lexa laughed discreetly behind her book, the way she’ll take a moment to process the information she was reading. Lexa got a mechanical pencil from her messenger bag and started to make little notations on the edge of the book. “Oh, my.” she thought, feeling the beginnings of mere interest turn into attraction.  
“What!” Exclaimed Lexa into her phone.  
“Everything ok?”  
“My sister went into labor! I have to go!” She said standing up, she walked a few steps then returned in a haste “I had a great time with you, Clarke.”  
“Wait, wait,” Clarke said getting up from her chair, but Lexa was already gone.  
***  
The bright lights of the convenience store offered a great shelter from the deluge that started halfway to her bus stop. Her blue jacket was soaked along with her shoes. Clarke fixed her hair before taking off her jacket, It wouldn’t do to get sick. She needed something hot to chase the shivers away.  
“Clarke?”  
“Lexa! How you’ve been?”  
“Good, good.” The teacher was carrying her messenger bag against her chest, wet dark hair plastered to her forehead and a dangling umbrella from her left hand. “Well except for this rain.” Lexa took off her wet glasses.  
“And your sister?”  
“She’s great, she had a little boy,” said the teacher with pride. “I… forgot to give you my number”  
“Well, I don’t believe in fate but let’s not tempt it,” said Clarke picking a napkin from the dispenser and writing her phone number on it and offered it to a smiling Lexa.  
“So, what brings you to this fine establishment?” asked Clarke in her best impression of a seductive voice.  
“I heard their selection of carbonated beverages is exquisite” Lexa followed along.  
“Oh, and their grilled sausages are to die for”. They both laughed. “Seriously, though. Can I buy you something?”  
°  
Lexa ate her hotdog with gusto at the plastic red table of the convenience store, across from her Clarke enjoyed a hot chocolate. The rain kept falling outside on the busy street.  
“Don’t judge me, but this is the best hot god ever,” Lexa said between bites.  
“Good thing that poor taste in hotdogs is not a deal breaker for me”. It was Lexa’s turn to choke on her food. Clarke looked at her in panic.  
“I’m ok, I’m ok.” The teacher took a gulp from her soda. She took her time drinking the beverage and clearing her throat before facing the beautiful blonde “So, what would be a deal breaker for you?”  
“Cold feet”. Clarke responded with a smile.  
“I’ll have to get me a good pair of wool socks then.”  
°  
Clarke wanted to kiss the teacher, she really liked how Lexa closed her eyes for a second when biting the hot dog, the small upturn of her lip when the fries crunched inside her mouth. She was certain that the teacher was a person who enjoyed the simple things in life.  
“It doesn’t seem to be stopping any time soon,” said Lexa indicating the raining sky. “want to share?” asked Lexa lifting her small umbrella. “I’m heading to the bus stop two blocks from here”  
“I’d love to”.  
°  
“Oh, you are warm” Exclaimed Lexa interlocking their arms to make it easier for them to fit under the umbrella.  
“Smooth,” said Clarke in a chuckle.  
They walked on the street at a slow pace, Lexa wasn’t sure if she was the one walking slow or if it was Clarke.  
“So, any luck with the book you were looking for?”  
“No, I’ve tried nearly every bookstore in the area.”  
“Why the first edition, though?” They slowed their pace even more. Lexa was warm next to the blonde.  
“My dad. He used to read it to me when I was little.” They stopped at the intersection waiting for the green light to change, the cars passed by them creating a breeze that the umbrella couldn’t keep away. Lexa noticed a slight tremble coming from the blonde. “He passed away a couple years ago.”  
“I’m sorry to hear that.”  
“The book got lost when my mom moved out of the house.” The light changed. Lexa held Clarke a second before crossing the street to give time to whoever wanted to run the red light to pass before them.  
°  
Clarke noticed the gesture. They had one block to go before reaching their destination, but she didn’t want to part from the teacher.  
“Have you read Shakespeare yet?” she asked changing the subject.  
“I am trying.”  
Clarke couldn’t help her laugh. “Sorry”  
“The man likes to repeat some lines and some of his characters are duffus”  
“You are taking his work too seriously”  
“You think?”  
“What do you usually like to read?”  
“Adventures in space or the wild and anything that my man Asimov wrote” The bus stop was in sight, she noticed a large number of people taking shelter under the metallic structure.  
“Your man Asimov,” Said Clarke with a smile, unable to resist the nerdiness of the woman beside her.  
“What are you writing about?” she asked not letting go of Lexa.  
“Science Fiction.”  
“Nerd” Said Clarke with a smile.  
°  
They stood near the bus stop waiting for their respective buses to arrive, but when Lexa’s bus got there the teacher offered to stay a bit longer to keep Clarke from waiting under the rain. Yet Clarke didn’t take her bus still reluctant to their encounter to end. It was an hour later when Clarke got on her bus. The artist said her goodbyes giving the teacher a quick kiss on the cheek.  
“Wow.” Said Lexa with her fingertips above the spot Clarke kissed. She watched the bus turn on a corner towards the north side of town. “Wow,” she said again. She didn’t notice the people in the bus stop running away from the upcoming car when a huge wave of dirty water drenched her from head to toe.  
Maybe it was karma finally passing her the bill for the time she stepped on a little dog’s tail by accident when she was five. Lexa thought while taking the ruined napkin from her jacket. She opened the apartment door with a heavy heart.  
“What the hell happened to you?” asked Luna from the hall drying her hair. Her brother in law Niko was asleep on the couch with their son sleeping on his gigantic chest.  
“A car splashed me on the street.” She felt like crying. “Can you help me?” she said showing the folded wet napkin.  
***  
Clarke was at her desk, it had been a month since she gave Lexa her phone number, but she never got a call. Maybe it wasn’t meant to be she thought to stir her coffee in slow circles.  
“This was at the front desk. It’s for you” said Raven placing the package on the artist desk.  
“Thank you” The blonde moved to a side arranging her desk to start working on the illustrations she had scanned.  
“You’re not gonna open it?”  
°  
Lexa stood in front of her students explaining Conservation of Energy, while Mr. Quint the P.E. teacher mounted the structure for the experiment. He hung the bowling ball attached to the steel cable.  
“Ready,” he said giving the cable a tug.  
“Alright everyone, experiment time”  
“Can we record it?” asked one of her students with his phone in one hand.  
“Yes Mr. Green, just please don’t upload it to YouTube,” she said moving the chair closer to the structure. She grabbed the bowling ball and took a seat. Lexa felt confident, she did this experiment every year. “Alright so who can tell me what will happen when I let the ball go?” she moved the bowling ball towards her face, the smooth surface touching the area between her nose and forehead.  
“it will smack you square in the face!”  
“No, Mr. Jordan. Anyone else?” she was focused.  
“It will lose some of the energy on the way back keeping it from touching you”  
“BS!” shouted Jasper Jordan.  
“Do you want to bet!” she said in good humor. “If it doesn’t touch me all of you will write an essay on this subject- a loud groan emerged from her students -if it does smack me in the face, I won’t leave you any homework for a month. Deal?” her class cheered. “Ok. Here we go”  
Lexa sat still on the chair, the ball against her face. “Don’t move.” she told herself, “Don’t move.” She let go of the ball and watched as it went further away from her it took a less than a second for it to swing back. It was getting closer and closer when her cell phone began to ring.  
“Oh shit!” exclaimed Monty Green from his seat. Everyone screamed in a combination of horror and victory.  
°  
“Hi!” said Clarke moving away from a giddy Raven.  
“Hi, Clarke” came the muffled response from the teacher.  
“I wanted to thank you for the book!” said the artist feeling happier than she had ever been. A copy of Foundation from Isaac Asimov sat on her desk. She didn’t dare to touch the book fearing it might disappear, however, she held the card with Lexa’s number close to her chest.  
“No problem, ouch!” Clarke frowned, something was not ok. “Sorry I didn’t call you but that night I lost your phone number, ouch. My sister helped me locate the magazine’s HQ where you work, ouch!”  
“You sound weird. Is everything ok?”  
“I’m at the nurse’s office right now”  
“What happened?”  
“A dumb accident”  
***  
The smell of popcorn made Lexa smile, her nose still hurt but she couldn’t pass the chance of spending time with her best friend. Clarke had asked her out for dinner in a “proper date”, however she had planned on going to the movies with Anya a two weeks ago.  
“I heard there would be no homework for a month,” commented Anya checking her watch.  
“A deal is a deal,” she said.  
“I would rather not have my teachers making bets with the students,” said Anya in good humor.  
“I think I learned my lesson, Principal.” Responded Lexa pointing at the bruised bridge of her nose.  
°  
“Well, look at that!” said Raven from the line for the tickets.  
“What,” asked Clarke looking around.  
“Eleven o’clock Griff” responded Raven. Clarke turned to her left, “My eleven”  
Clarke noticed two women standing in line for popcorn. “Which one?”  
“Tall and sexy,” said Raven moving a step towards the box office. “The one in the black jacket”  
“She’s ok, I guess.”  
“You guess! Have you no eyes?”  
“Oh my God!” Clarke grabbed Raven’s arm.  
“What is it?”  
“The one next to tall and sexy – she untied her ponytail -That’s Lexa” Clarke regretted her oversized sweater and torn jeans. The teacher looked sexy in jeans and a button-down shirt, her jacket hung on her left hand.  
“She’s ok, in a nerdy kind of way. However, her friend’s butt.” Commented Raven making grabby hands.  
“Raven!”  
°  
“Lexa?” Said a voice from behind the teacher  
“We should stop from meeting like this!” said Lexa with surprise, nearly dropping her popcorn. Her smile turned to a frown of pain from the bruise on her nose. She started to suspect that fate was real, and it was doing its best to make up for the bowling ball to the face.  
“It keeps it interesting.” Said Clarke.  
“Hi, I’m Raven,” said the woman next to Clarke, who seemed unable to take her eyes from Anya.  
“Lexa Woods… and this is Anya” She turned to her best friend noticing that she was not paying attention to anyone other than Raven. “So, what movie are you guys watching?” she asked Clarke.  
“Looper. Raven has been raving about wanting to watch it for days.” Said Clarke fidgeting with her sweater cuffs.  
“What a coincidence,” said Anya turning her gaze from Raven for just a second “We are watching the same one”. This was just perfect though, Lexa.  
°  
Clarke wanted to feel bad for leaving Raven with Lexa’s friend, but they seemed to be getting along.  
“Is it me or your friend is hitting on Anya?” asked Lexa sitting on a stool of the waiting area. Anya and Clarke’s friend stood neatly the concession stand taking their time getting napkins for everyone.  
“Raven is definitely hitting on your friend” responded Clarke before eating another fistful of popcorn. She noticed the way Lexa’s eyes kept going to her bag of popcorn. “You are not eating yours” she commented.  
“I like to wait until the movie starts,” she said. Clarke smiled at her. “How’s the First Men on the Moon hunting going?”  
“Still nothing. But thank you again for the book you send me” she said moving closer to the teacher. She had asked Lexa to a date but unfortunately, she already had plans, so Raven dragged her to the movies.  
“Ah, don’t mention it, it’s one of my favorites.” Responded Lexa lowering her head and reaching for her glasses. “I keep forgetting I’m not wearing my glasses.” She scolded herself.  
“Good thing you took them off before starting the experiment.”  
“Yeah. It could have been much, much worse, and I’ll probably have to miss the movie”  
“And I would have missed you,” said Clarke without thinking. “I mean, I would have missed running into you” she blushed hard. But Lexa’s look of wonder made it worth it.  
°  
“We should get going,” said Clarke checking the time in her phone.  
We. Lexa liked the sound of that word coming from Clarke.  
The auditorium lights were low, creating a cozy atmosphere. The whispered conversations and crunching of popcorn filled the room. “Lex,” said Anya from behind her. “Why don’t you seat with Clarke and I’ll take her seat in the back row”  
“Are you sure?” she asked noticing that Raven was talking with Clarke. Probably about the same thing.  
“Yeah, no problem. Raven seems like a very interesting woman”  
“I think you are doing this more for yourself that as a favor to me” she narrowed her eyes at her friend.  
“What? No! I’m just your wingman.”  
“Okay.”  
“Excellent! You are the best!” Anya gave Lexa her soda and indicated Raven that her seats were in the back.  
°  
It was under the pretense of making it easier for them to share Lexa’s popcorn that they decided to lift the armrest in the middle of them. However, there was no reason for them ending up in an embrace in the middle of the movie.  
Clarke was following Bruce Willi’s predicament along with the excitement of the teacher, “No way” whispered Lexa to a revealing scene. She sat amazed at how at home she felt with the woman next to her, especially after only three dates.  
“Lex.” Whispered Clarke “Would you consider this a date?”  
“it’s wasn’t exactly planned, but yes. Actually, I’ll say this could be our third date.” She whispered back.  
Clarke smiled against the teacher’s shoulder, the movie continued. The endless cornfield rows filling the screen. Clarke took her soda feeling thirsty after too much popcorn.  
“Would you like to be my girlfriend?” Clarke heard the timid question, it took all of Clarke’s control no to choke on her sprite.  
“Yes,” she answered turning her head to kiss the teacher’s cheek. Lexa held her tighter and reached for her hand.

***  
Lexa sat at the edge of the bed in the hotel bedroom she shared with Clarke. She could not believe how her life had changed in the last year. She fidgeted with a gift box that had taken great skill to keep it from Clarke’s curious nature, she checked the note taped next to the bow making sure she didn’t misspell any words. The glint of the gold band on her left hand kept making her smile every time she caught sight of it, its weight felt new considering that Clarke had put it there only seven hours ago.  
The teacher took off her shoes without bothering using her hands, white shirt untucked. It had been hours since she ditched the cufflinks and rolled up her sleeves. She heard Clarke clicking off the bathroom light. Lexa’s heart leaped inside her chest anticipating the sight of her wife.  
“See something you like Mrs. Woods?” the artist’s sultry voice robbed Lexa’s breath away. Clarke stood in a white lingerie set that accentuated the blonde’s attributes. Lexa resigned herself at not being able to speak nodding her response. A warm smile crossed Clarke’s face, dropping the seductress act in less than twenty seconds.  
°  
“Come here” invited Lexa extending her left hand. Clarke let her wife guide her to her lap. “I love you,” she said before kissing her. Nothing could beat this feeling, to belong with someone, to complete each other in ways Clarke was sure only existed in fantasy. She took the teachers glasses off placing them gently on the hotel’s nightstand. And began to undo the remaining buttons on Lexa’s shirt.  
“I love when you wear white undershirts,” she said playing with the v neck of the Hanes shirt the teacher wore. They kissed again without urgency sure in their knowledge that nothing could break them apart.  
***  
“I have something for you”. Lexa said Clarke curled on Lexa’s right side still half-dressed and way more tired than they had anticipated after their wedding party. The teacher sat on the bed and took the gift box from the foot of the ridiculous king size bed that Anya insisted on renting for them. She gave the box to Clarke who sat against the headboard.  
The artist took the notecard and read it in silence, tears welled in her blue eyes. With shaking hands, she removed the gift wrap and opened the box flaps. She sat there with a hand covering her mouth in disbelief.  
“It’s…”  
“The First Men on the Moon,” said Lexa getting closer to her wife. “The first edition”  
“How?” Clarke turned to her, eyes full of wonder and love.  
“Remember when we ran into each other at the convenience store?” Clarke only nodded recalling that night. “I started looking for it since. Eventually, a friend of a friend of the ex of a friend helped me find it.”  
°  
Clarke wanted to cry, to kiss Lexa, to take the book from the box all at the same time. She knew she’ll be a sobbing mess in less than a minute.  
“This book, however, is better than any other we could have found”  
“Why?”  
Lexa took the book form the box and gently opened it. “May this book always fills you with wonder. May we meet again. J. Griffin.”  
Clarke held Lexa in a tight embrace, “Thank you, thank you!”. She told Lexa about the dedication her father had written a few days before dying of cancer. “Thank you!” said Clarke kissing her wife.  
***  
Life could not get better than this, at least that’s what Lexa though sitting in their studio grading essays on the Conservation of Energy. The room was filled with many paintings some of them finished some of them still in progress and enough books to open their own library. A blueprint of a spaceship engine hung above her desk where the draft of her second novel collected dust waiting for the merciless blue marker of the edition. The sounds of the city came from the open window along with a blessed chill that keeps the late spring heat tolerable.  
“I’m home” she heard Clarke say from the apartment door. Lexa continued her work, giving her wife time to rid herself from the day. Five minutes later a soft kiss on the side of her neck made her moan in pleasure.  
“I missed you,” She said putting the essays on her desk. Clarke took a sit on her lap resting her head on her shoulder.  
“I’m going to miss this,” said the artist playing with Lexa’s shirt.  
“Miss what?”  
“Sitting like this with you. At least for a while”.  
“Why?” asked Lexa confused. Clarke took her left hand placing it on her belly, understanding dawned on her. “It worked?” she asked ready to jump from excitement.  
“Yes it worked!“ said Clarke grinning from ear to ear “Six weeks”  
“Oh, God! We need more shelves” said Lexa in a serious tone.  
“What for?”  
“Our child’s books”

The End.


End file.
